Stop Craving Junk Food
3 Fast Ways to Stop Craving Junk Food
Would you like to fall in love with delicious healthy foods you never knew existed? Try eating for functional energy and see the pounds melt away!
Do you have a sweet tooth or crave chocolate? Maybe you love desserts, or maybe you prefer salty potato chips and fries. In either case, when you overdo, you're stuffing your body with calories while depriving it of real nutrients.
The holidays are coming and while junk food is fine in moderation and on special occasions, what about those cravings that hit you at the most inconvenient times - or, worse, the cravings that just never seem to go away at all?
Improbable as it seems, they can be tamed. Here are three proven strategies for ending junk food cravings.
Tip 1: Control blood sugar spikes and crashes
Never skip meals; recent studies have shown that dieters are more likely to binge on junk food if they haven't eaten in several hours.
To really knock out cravings, combine a healthy fat with some protein and a fruit, like a tablespoon of peanut butter on apple slices. It will be more nutritious and more satisfying than the junk food your body is asking for.
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Tip 2: Avoid artificial sweeteners and MSG
When we eat sweet-tasting foods, our bodies produce insulin which makes us store fat. (If you have to use sweetener, try Stevia type substitutes which is what I use).
These findings were reported in the British Medical Journal in 2004, along with the result of eating foods sweetened with artificial sweeteners: deprived of the real sugar it was anticipating, the body experiences stronger sugar cravings at the next meal.
MSG (mono sodium glutamate) a flavor-enhancer found in many prepared foods has also been linked to incessant food cravings, including the infamous 'Chinese restaurant syndrome': you eat the food, then feel hungry an hour later. (It should be noted that many Chinese restaurants now offer MSG-free foods.) Other foods, such as canned soups, contain MSG.
Eat natural foods you prepare yourself. (You can make a big batch and freeze it in portions on the weekend to save on prep time during the week). Don't consume too many diet sodas. Instead, hydrate with water infused fresh (or frozen) fruit.
Tip 3: Cheat (but only a little.)
If you find yourself fixated on a craving that won't go away, give yourself permission to indulge a little. But have a glass of water first to help fill you up before you down your treat. In the long-run, it's better to have that half-cup of ice cream (but make it low calorie ice cream and eat it slowly) than to keep denying yourself and obsessing over it.
Simply adjust your plan to include more exercise that day, or take away extra calories from another meal to compensate. If weight loss is your goal, do both. With the urges in control, you will soon have all the functional energy needed to be at your best weight ever!
P.S Want 2 More Fast Tips to Stop Cravings? Watch the 1 minute video!
Healthiest blessings,
Suzanne Andrews founded Functional Fitness in 2008, the most popular fitness series for boomers and seniors broadcasting on over 159 Public Television stations throughout the US and Canada. Read Suzanne’s inspiring comeback story of how she survived a near fatal accident, From Deaths Door to Producing a National Fitness Series. Feel free to send Suzanne a message here.
